Sediment Contamination

Through our research we aimed to determine if there were any differences in water quality of both the north and south forks of Strawberry Creek. As time progresses and the environment changes it is important to keep track of how certain species are being impacted by these features, and how they cope with change. We hypothesized that due to the lack of pollution, the south fork will promote a greater diversity of macroinvertebrates. This was due to the fact that there was less runoff and trash that could be introduced to the water in the south fork, than there was in the north fork. We gathered data by analyzing the different organisms living in both forks. We collected a total of fifty vials composed of five organisms from each fork, and inspected them under microscopic view. After gathering data and identifying the different kinds of organisms living in the different forks we assessed whether the organisms from the samples could live in high or low resolution water. We also took a t-test to assess the probability of these differences being due to relevant factors or by chance. Our major findings suggest that organisms in the south fork showed a higher demand to living in cleaner water indicating that our hypothesis was correct.

One of the major problems and also a problem in my neighborhood is sediments. Sediments forms when rocks and soil erode or weather. About 5.2 million tons of sediment enter the bay every year. When it rains, those sediments are carried to the bay by runoff.

The waterways can be divided into categories of water that has been affected by the Summitville mine and water that has not been affected. Based on the location of the waterways, the Beaver Mud Dump, the Headwaters of Wightman Fork, Schinzel Flats, Wightman Fork below mine, and the small creek from tailings pile would be directly affected by the contamination initiated by mining activity, while the Cattle Guard, Iron Creek, Alum Creek, Bitter Creek, and waterways around the Alamosa River would not be affected or as affected by the mining activity (refer to Figure 1). From the data collected this year, it can be inferred that the Beaver Mud Dump is by far the most metal-polluted body of water in the area; though the waterways affected by

River water near the spill showed elevated levels of lead and thallium, Mercury and arsenic cadmium and lead exceeding Clean Water Act standards designed to protect aquatic life as well as humans who come in contact with the water. Which can cause birth defects and nervous and reproductive system disorders?

Copper concentrations that exceed 20 micrograms per gram can be toxic to any living thing (Solomon). Copper binds easily to organic matter, which means it levels are rather high in animals that can filter materials from water; although biomagnification doesn’t occur in the food web. In terms of aquatic organisms and ecosystems, copper is one of the most toxic metals, and aquatic organisms tend to be more sensitive to its effects.

“It wrecks vast areas of boreal forest through surface mining and subsurface production. It sucks up huge quantities of water from local rivers, turns it into toxic waste and dumps the contaminated water into tailing ponds that now cover nearly 70 square miles.”

If water is muddy, it is a sign of erosion. It means bits of rock or soil are in the water and are being transported. This material that is being transported is sediment. If wind or water slows down, or if glaciers or ice is melted, the sediment will be dropped off at a new location. As more and more sediment gets deposited, it starts to

Bioindicators of stream health include blackfly larvae, caddisflies, and algae. The presence of blackfly larvae indicates sewage pollution. Caddisflies indicate higher  O2 concentrations. The presences of algae can indicate different things. If algae is absent, there may not be enough nutrients to support its growth. Thick algae indicates eutrophication.  Previous studies by the Colorado Department of Health Water Quality Control Commission in 1981 show comparable amounts of dissolved  O2 as well as pH, nitrite, and nitrate levels in both Cherry and Bear creek. The  NH 3 levels were much higher in Cherry Creek at .10 mg/L compared to Bear creek where the  NH 3 levels were at .06 mg/L (Colorado 1981). In today’s society, it is important to find a balance between preserving the natural ecosystem and accommodating the wants, needs, and desires of the humans who affect it. (Meyer 1997). Pollution is inevitable but should be considered and kept as low as reasonably achievable.

After taking samples, and running tests on the water of the U-Creek, the conclusion was made that the water quality of the U-Creek is excellent. Water quality is not excellent in all cases, but keeping good water quality is very important for life of the organisms in the water. One way that humans could change the water quality, or pollute the water is through runoff. Rivers are a very convenient place for the companies or farms to get rid of waste. For example, farmers put pesticides and fertilizers on their crops to protect them from bugs, or to help them grow better. Fertilizers contain nitrates and phosphates, if large amounts of these two things end up in the water it will lead to an overgrowth of plant life, and algae growth. Over time as the algae starts to rapidly grow, the algae will start to use up all of the dissolved oxygen in the water. Dissolved oxygen is very important to organism life so if it is all gone then organisms will start to die. Another way that humans pollute water is through chemical water deposits. Chemical waste is discharged from industrial processes, that can end up in rivers or streams. An example of a

These impacts may cause the loss of adjacent land and structures, and downstream erosion due to the increased carrying capacity of the stream, downstream changes in patterns of deposition, and changes in channel bed and habitat type. Moreover, in terms of ecological impacts, mining leads to the removal of channel substrate, resuspension of streambed sediment, clearance of vegetation, and stockpiling on the streambed. These impacts affect the direct loss of stream reserve habitat, disturbances of species attached to streambed deposits, reduced light penetration, reduced primary production and reduced feeding

When the gulash of chemicals and sand with water and brought back up a large amount can get into the aquifer which is very dangerous and most people's wells and sources of clean drinkable water come from this layer however it is being contaminated as we go on and it gets even dirtier and dirtier even absorbing the shale gas being retrieved causing water from sinks in a home to be lit on fire and sustain a flame without help besides the initial

While reading this section of the book, I was very astonished at the actions of humans in the last century. We have disrupted the natural process of delta building. By placing levees along the Mississippi river, we have been successful in providing flood protection from the river overflowing its banks but have also prevented nature from settling sediment in the wetlands. As a result, all the nutrients that are required for growing land are being carried with the sediment straight out into the Gulf of Mexico, rather than playing their nature-intended role in building Louisiana's coastal wetlands. I’ve seen this firsthand living in South Louisiana, small tracts of land that were once visible tiny islands in the wetlands are now completely gone,

This pollution also does harm to the nature resources all around us which affects our daily lives. Having dirty rivers because the death of fish will cause a chain reaction where the seals in the rivers will not have food to eat as well as humans. Not being able to fish causes less food on people’s dinner plate. As well as local business who depend on the river staying clean and providing them business for anglers to come and buy bait. This will also affect restaurants that depend on local fisherman who supply them with their daily seafood which they sell to their customers. Having less seafood will mean the closing down of business as well as not being able to eat fish which consumers will then turn to meat which will deplete thru resources even quicker. Having pollution in the bodies of water on the earth would be the worst situation since humans need water to live and survive. If all of the natural water sources have pollution in them; life on earth would cease to exist. This chain reaction all starts from one person littering and killing one

The health hazards for humans who come in contact with contaminants from exposure to polluted water can have long term effects on the body causing possible organ failure and death. Contaminants and chemicals such lead and mercury can bring about many minor illnesses ranging from nausea, lung irritation, skin rash, vomiting, and dizziness, to the major diseases that include cancer, liver and kidney damage, disorders of the nervous system, damage to the immune system, birth defects and even death.

Sediment particles in the river are in form of sand, silt, gravel and even larger boulders. Water flowing in the river, scours its bed and banks, detaching these sediment panicles from the surface and carries them to the downstream. If a dam is constructed on this river, the velocity of the flowing water is reduced due to obstruction, thereby helping the sediment panicles to settle down in the reservoir formed. This phenomenon is called Reservoir Sedimentation". It results in loss of storage capacity of Reservoir (Bowonder